Lyrics to "Woven & Spun" by Nichole Nordeman - 2002 Sparrow Records

These were all typed in by yours truly. Yup, I typed them all in by hand from
the liner notes so hopefully I didn't miss anything.
1. * Holy *
(by Nichole Nordeman and Mark Hammond 2002 Ariose Music)
How many roads did I travel before I walked down one that led me to You?
How many dreams did unravel before I believed in a hope that was true?
How Long? How far?
What was meant to fulfill only emptied me still
And all you ever wanted...

Only me on my knees
Singing holy, holy
And somehow all that matters now is
You are holy, holy

How many deaths did I die before I was awakened to new life again?
How many half-truths did I bear witness to, til the proof was disproved in the end?
How long? How far?
What was meant to illuminate, shadowed me still
And all you ever wanted...

And all I have is gratitude to offer you.
2. * Mercies New *
(by Nichole Nordeman and Charlie Peacock 2002 Ariose Music)
Is it fair to say I was lured away
by endless distractions and lovelier attractions then?
Or fairer still, my own free will
Is the better one to blame for this familiar mess I've made.

So I would understand if you were out of patience
And I would understand if I was out of chances

But your mercies are new every morning
So let me wake with the dawn
And when the music is through, or so it seems to be
Let me sing s new song
Old things gone...
Every day it's true, you make all your mercies new.

The distance left between east and west
Is how far you would go to forgive the debt I owe
And thrown into the sea the wicked ways in me
Will never have a chance to wash back on the sand

So I would understand if you would make me pay
And I would understand lying in the bed I made again...

Up comes the sun on everyone of us
Gone, gone, gone the guilt and shame that knew your name -
3. * Healed *
(by Nichole Nordeman 2002 Ariose Music)

We stutter and we stammer til You say us
A symphony of chaos til You play us
Phrases on the pages of unknown, til you read us into poetry and prose

We are kept and we are captive til You free us
Vaguely unimagined til You dream us
Aimlessly unguided til You lead us home.

And by Your voice we speak
By Your strength no longer weak, we are no longer weak

By Your wounds we are healed
By Your wounds we are healed

Passed over and passed by until You claim us
Orphaned and abandoned til You name us
Hidden and disclosed til You expose our hearts

And by Your death we live
It is by Your gift that we might give, that we might give

What kind of love would take Your shame and spill his blood for You?
And save us by His wounds...
4. * Legacy *
(by Nichole Nordeman 2002 Ariose Music)

I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such'n'such ... it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an 'Atta boy' or 'Atta girl'
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
The temporary trappings of this world

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthly list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon enough destroy

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well Done" good and faithful one...

5. * I Am *
(by Nichole Nordeman 2002 Ariose Music)

Pencil marks on a wall, I wasn't always this tall
You scattered some monsters from beneath my bed.
You watched my team win, and watched my team lose
Watched when my bicycle went down again

When I was weak, unable to speak, still I could call You by name
And I said Elbow Healer, Superhero, come if you can
You said, I Am

Only sixteen, life is so mean
What kind of curfew is at 10 pm?
You saw my mistakes and watched my heart break
Heard when I swore I'd never love again

When I was weak, unable to speak, still I could call You by name
And I said Heartache Healer, Secret Keeper, be my best friend
You said, I Am

You saw me wear white by pale candlelight
I said 'forever' to what lies ahead
Two kids and a dream, with kids that can scream
Too much it might seem when it is 2 am.

When I was weak, unable to speak, still I could call You by name
Oh, Shepherd Savior, Pasture Maker, hold on to my hand
You said, I Am

The winds of change and circumstance
Blow in and all around us
So we find a foothold that's familiar
And bless the moments that we feel you nearer

When life had begun I was woven and spun
You let the angels dance around the throne
Who can say when, but they'll dance again
When I am free and finally headed home

I will be weak, unable to speak, still I will call You by name
Creator, Maker, Life Sustainer
Comforter, Healer, My Redeemer
Lord and King, Beginning and the End
I Am, I Am

Love, I get so lost sometimes
Days pass and this emptiness fills my heart
When I want to run away
I drive off in my car
But whichever way I go
I come back to the place you are
All my instincts they return
And the grand facade so soon will burn
Without a noise without my pride
I reach out from the inside

In your eyes
The light the heat
In your eyes
I am complete
I see the doorway to a thousand churches
In your eyes
The resolution of all the fruitless searches
Oh, I see the light and the heat
Oh, I want to be that complete
I want to touch the light
The heat I see in your eyes

Love, I don't like to see so much pain
So much wasted and these moments keep slipping away
I get so tired of working so hard for our survival
I look to the time with you to keep me awake and alive
All my instincts they return
And the grand facade so soon will burn
Without a noise without my pride
I reach out from the inside

7. * Even Then *
(by Nichole Nordeman 2002 Ariose Music)

It's a fear that keeps me wide awake
In the middle of the night
When the expectations are too great and the bar gets raised too high.

So I do the best with what I've got
And hope that no one knows
That I strain to see how high I can
Try to stand on these toes
Until I'm measure, but you know better

So thank You, Jesus
Even when You see us just as we are
Fragile and frail and so far from who we want to be
So thank You, Jesus
Even when the pieces are broken and small
Dreams shatter and scatter like the wind
Thank You even then

So I put aside the masquerade
And admit that I am not okay
Which may not be the thing to say, but I'm not ashamed to need you
More each day

We raise the standard and try to reach You
But we'll never make it, and we don't need to...

Oh, for a heart that does not ache
For a backbone that won't break
For some steady feet or a sturdy ground
A road that isn't gonna let me turn around and run
For a thousand tongues to sing

To wear wisdom like Solomon's robe
For the patience and perspective of a man like Job
Just to soar on wings of eagles
For no other reason than the bird's eye view
For a flight or two
And the list gets longer
Who I wish I was and was no longer

I never could be good enough
To measure up
But You want to take me as I come
You're the only one that can
Take me as I am

Oh to feel hope in hopeless times
Never mind the silver lining 'cause the clouds are fine
To breathe prayers that move the heavens
Or save hundreds from the flames
To know my place to know my name
But the gap grows wider
Between who I am and who I aspire to be

At the end of myself, at the end of the day
I can find little else but the courage to say I need You
That's all... I need You

If You made me like the grass that is green
Growing tall and covering the hills above me
Maybe I would pray for the sunshine and a little rain
To fall now and then to make me lovely
I could be a place where sheep could graze
Or barefoot feet could play
And I would grow and grow and hope You'd bend down low
To hear me singing my offering

Open up the heavens, open up the skies
All of Your creation wants to testify
I have a song so let the earth sing along
'Cause I just want to praise You

If You made me to be a cloud in the sky
Found the perfect place way up high where I could hover
Maybe I could pray for skies that were blue
Or a sunset or two to show Your colors
Or maybe I might be
A mountain strong and steep
But I would try and stand as tall as I can
And I would sing my offering

And the sun every morning can not wait to shine
And the stars every evening are all standing by to light the sky
Give the rocks and the stones voices of their own
If we forget to sing praises to our King
12. * Gratitude *
(by Nichole Nordeman 2002 Ariose Music)

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up
And warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace may be another world away
And if that's the case...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace